The present invention relates to pharmaceutical products and formulations. More particularly the present invention relates to pharmaceutical products and formulations useful for preventing or minimising allergic reactions. More particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to pharmaceutical products and formulations for nasal and ocular use.
Such allergic reactions commonly comprise the allergy-related and vasomotor-related symptoms and the rhinovirus-related symptoms.
It is known to use antihistamines in nasal sprays and eye drops to treat allergy-related conditions. Thus, for example, it is known to use the antihistamine azelastine (usually as the hydrochloride salt) as a nasal spray against seasonal or perennial allergic rhinitis, or as eye drops against seasonal and perennial allergic conjunctivitis.
It is also known to treat these conditions using a corticosteroid, which will suppress nasal and ocular inflammatory conditions. Among the corticosteroids known for nasal use are, for example, beclomethasone, mometasone, fluticasone, budesonide and cyclosenide. Corticosteroids known for ocular anti-inflammatory use include betamethasone sodium, dexamethasone sodium and prednisolone acetate, for example.
It would be highly desirable, however, to provide a treatment that combines the effects of anti-histamine treatments and steroid treatments, in a pharmaceutically acceptable formulation, which is tolerated in situ, without significantly disrupting the potency of the constituent pharmaceuticals.
We have now found that, very surprisingly, azelastine (4-[(4-Chlorophenyl)methyl]-2-(hexahydro-1-methyl-1H-azepin-4-yl)-1(2H)-phthalazinone), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate or physiologically functional derivative thereof, preferably in salt form and even more preferably in the form of the hydrochloride salt, can advantageously be combined with a steroid, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate or physiologically functional derivative thereof, to provide a stable, very effective combination product or formulation preferably for nasal or ocular treatment. The combination can provide, in a single administration or dosing regime, the antihistaminic properties of azelastine and the anti-inflammatory (and/or other) properties of the steroid, without any significant interference between the two, or adverse reaction in situ.